Re: special dao

[David Dalton]

On Aug 14, 2023, David Dalton wrote
(in article<0001HW.2A8AC6ED00...@news.eternal-september.org>):

> On Aug 14, 2023, one wrote on alt.philosophy.taoism
> (in article<noakdihgjfc7p6i7d...@4ax.com>):
>
> > Some thinkers may think
> > a singular dao, Dao, exists
> > and there are no other Ways,
> > Techniques, Methods nor Doctrines
> > and t'hats okay as a Way of thinking may
> > go without going further naturally.
> >
> > https://terebess.hu/english/tao/Zhuangzi-Burton-Watson.pdf
> >
> > Watson's, Zhuangzi, translates a passage
> > near the end of Chapter 22 as saying:
> >
> > << The grand marshal’s buckle maker was eighty years old, yet
> > he had not lost the tiniest part of his old dexterity. The
> > grand marshal said, “What skill you have! Is there a special
> > way to this?”
> >
> > “I have a way. From the time I was twenty, I have loved
> > to forge buckles. I never look at other things—if it’s not a
> > buckle, I don’t bother to examine it.” >>
> >
> > Some people might like, love and/or care for their Dao
> > while others prefer a deity, naturally and ore knots.
> >
> > http://oaks.nvg.org/zhuangzi22-.html
> >
> > Legge's translation of the Chuang-tzu, Chapter 22, reads:
> >
> > << The forger of swords for the Minister of War had reached the age of
> > eighty, and had not lost a hair's-breadth of his ability. The Minister
> > said to him,
> >
> > 'You are indeed skilful, Sir. Have you any method that makes you so?'
> >
> > The man said,
> >
> > 'Your servant has (always) kept to his work. When I was twenty, I was
> > fond of forging swords. I looked at nothing else. I paid no attention
> > to anything but swords. By my constant practice of it, I came to be
> > able to do the work without any thought of what I was doing. By length
> > of time one acquires ability at any art; and how much more one who is
> > ever at work on it! What is there which does not depend on this, and
> > succeed by it?' >>
> >
> > Interesting, imo, is how some versions translate words as: swords
> > and others have buckles. Forgers forge materials at many rates.
> >
> > Palmer's version, below as above, agrees to a point.
> >
> > https://terebess.hu/english/tao/ChuangTzu-palmer.pdf
> >
> > << The swordsmith of the Grand Marshal was eighty years
> > old, but he had not lost any of his skills. The Grand Marshal
> > said, ‘Master, you are so skilful! Do you have the Tao?’
> >
> > He said, ‘I do have the Tao.
> >
> > From the age of twenty onwards
> > I have been devoted to making swords. I pay no heed to anything else,
> > I look at nothing but swords. By being so constant I am now able
> > to do it without thinking.
> >
> > Time brings one to such art, so imagine
> > how much more significant this would be for one
> > who used the same method but never ignored anything. >>
> >
> > As above sew below, Correa agrees with Watson.
> >
> > http://www.daoisopen.com/ZZ22.html
> >
> > << The blacksmith who forged harness buckles
> > for the Grand Marshall of the Hunt was eighty years old
> > but didn't make the slightest mistake in his work.
> >
> > The Grand Marshall asked:
> > "What great skill you have! How do you do it?"
> >
> > "I just keep doing what I do best.
> > When I was twenty years old I really enjoyed forging buckles,
> > and didn't pay attention to much of anything else.
> > Whatever wasn't a buckle didn't interest me."
> >
> > By using this method of ignoring things that weren't useful to him,
> > he was able to make use of what he did for a long time.
> > How much further could a person go if ... ... >>
> >
> > - beer o'clock struck one! Thanks! Cheers!
>
> From google:
>
> "Malcolm Gladwell published his blockbuster book, Outliers,
> in 2008 and the most talked-about idea from the text was the
> 10,000 Hour Rule. Gladwell, citing research by K. Anders
> Ericsson, explained that the key to becoming world-class in
> any field was to practice a specific task for at least 10,000 hours.”
>
> I’ve certainly practiced my four components magickal
> workings at least that long, :-)

And for a while I’ve been calling one of my experiences
the 10,000 petalled lotus, but I guess it was actually
the 1000 petalled lotus. (It was a sensation as of
flickering flames at my crown chakra, back in 1996
or 1997 I think, though I would have to check my
past writing to be sure.)

--
https://www.nfld.com/~dalton/dtales.html Salmon on the Thorns (mystic page)
"This could be the final breath; This is life and death;
This is hard rock and water; Out here between wind and flame;
Between tears and elation; Lies a secret nation" (Ron Hynes)